Two Corinthian pillars on either side of the vestibule supported a balcony; these pillars had iron capitals which were painted to imitate the wood of the house, which in its turn was painted to imitate stone.

The house was but two stories high, and the roof was topped with an iron cresting.
There was a microscopical front yard in which one saw a tiny gravel walk, two steps long, that led to a door under the front steps, where the gas-meter was kept.

A few dusty and straggling calla-lilies grew about.
Ida opened the door for Vandover almost as soon as he rang, and pulled him into the entry, exclaiming: "Come in out of the wet, as the whale said to Jonah.

_Isn't_ it a nasty night ?" Vandover noticed as he came in that the house smelt of upholstery, cooking, and turpentine.

He did not take off his overcoat, but went with her into the parlour.
The parlour was a little room with tinted plaster walls shut off from the "back-parlour" by sliding doors.